Seek Control: G5
Control via Influence
Social life is not amenable to control.
Yet everyone, being concerned for themselves, .
Sometimes control is possible, especially in smaller more limited matters and where others are not involved. However, all that is possible in social settings is to attempt to influence how a situation is evolving.
Your life is shaped by choices that you and others make at critical moments. Fortunately, these choices can often be influenced to some degree so as to enable you to get what you want or at least avoid the most unfavourable outcomes.
So actively while accepting that all that is possible is exertion of influence is the fifth requirement in looking out for yourself. By adding one more adjacent monad, 3 pentadic groups are formed, each of which represents a .
Self-assertion here is expressed as activation of your weight in your everyday sphere of activity when dealing with people in your circle. So the degree of influence that you can effectively exert will vary greatly in part based on your weight as perceived by others, and in part on the nature of the situation and the quality of your relationships.
The pentads reveal three where control can be sought within your social world:
- : Negotiating financial arrangements
- : Getting preferred changes
- : Explaining required attitudes
The function of the pentads is to impact on events in a way that is likely to serve your interests.
The qualifier for meaningful control, related to , is proposed as «reliably». That means a sustained and dependable readiness to exert the influence that you possess in the situation.
The 3 Pentadic Groups
G51: Negotiate Financial Arrangements
Function: To determine with others a precise financial basis for proceeding that is in your interest.
There is nothing more sensitive that your financial well-being, and so you must seek to control financial arrangements that affect you. These arrangements are more diffuse and ramified than specific contracts or applications () previously addressed. For example: selling your house to buy a new one affects your whole family and may involve you going into debt via a mortgage.
Any arrangements of this sort require negotiation because securing your finances () is always competitive. Doubt and uncertainty are too distressing and you will be depending on these arrangements, which means you are crucially dependent on the reliability of your counterparties. This trust can only be obtained through developing relationships (). If your group is affected you must cooperate with other members in representing () them. To get the best deal, you must use your strengths () resolutely. As any arrangement will be heavily affected by the expertise () you are bringing to bear, this must be promoted passionately.
G52: Get Preferred Changes
Function: To ensure others make important changes in accord with your interests.
Bringing about any change is difficult and, like everyone else, you want to control any change that affects you. Sometimes you want to design and lead the change, but more often you are on the receiving end. Whatever the case, when others are involved, you can do no more than engage with them and use persuasion to get more or less what you prefer.
Changes must be based on reason and evidence, which means that reliable analyses () are required to give confidence all round. There are usually a range of people involved with change so you need to cooperate with others to develop supportive relationships (). You need the full support of your own group so you must represent them () passionately. You must also promote your expertise () resolutely because this enables others to be confident in regard to any of your ideas. Finally you must use your strength () in competition with others who want to get a different change or may be totally opposed to change.
G53: Explain Required Attitudes
Function: To encourage others to adopt your viewpoint in handling a situation.
Whereas financial arrangements () are specific and grounded, changes () tend to be multi-faceted and only partly predictable. Now we are dealing with attitudes which can ramify over a variety of situations and choices. You cannot control what people think, but you can influence the attitudes that they hold and that can be to your benefit.
Influence depends on reliably portraying an intrinsically uncertain reality (). A track record of effective realism will be of great help in winning others to your viewpoint. You should perform analyses () cooperatively because others will then be inclined to accept the conclusions. Most importantly you have to develop relationships () passionately so others are likely to trust you and identify with your position. You must represent your group () resolutely because everyone in your circle or outfit will be impacted. Finally you must promote your expertise () competitively given that others will likely be arguing a different case based on their expertise.
Transition
You are now ready to seek control, and you are willing and able to use your influence, such as it is, to impact on events. Your influence can be tangible and concrete or diffuse and general. Certainly success will vary from occasion to occasion.
The context for evaluating your handling of social life is your level of wealth as reflected in your . Maintaining your affluence to support or improve your quality of life then becomes your main concern.
This is made possible by adding a further adjacent level to form hexads.
- Continue with affluence-G6 Hexads.
- Go to the review to see the full picture.
Originally posted: 10-July-2025.
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